Read I, PENELOPE, CHAPTER II, The Touch, Part 2 :: Chapter III. The Ferry Man's Pole. Part 2 of 3

by Amanda R. Hamlin

Kendra, Julia and I decide to catch the bus out to the mall and Julia insists we all sit in the very back. This does not please me because the back seat of the bus is right on top of the engine so the seat is hot and it stinks of exhaust. Plus the motor underneath shakes the seat, making my teeth rattle and giving me a head ache. But this is exactly why Julia likes it. She declares the vibrations are soothing to her PMS cramps and possibly sexually stimulating as well. This conversation itself doesn't disturb me. I'm not squeamish like most people imagine, though I have to completely disagree with her on both counts. However, it does make me rather uncomfortable to notice that two fortyish women a couple of seats up, in cakey make-up and flower print dresses, keep turning around to give us bad looks.

After about fifteen minutes, Julia notices the women too. “You don't think they're looking at us, do you?” she asks, suddenly nervous. Kendra and I give each other sidelong glances. We both know 100% they are but neither of us wants to piss off Julia by pointing this out.

“Well...they might be...” I offer tentatively.

“How could they even hear us? I'm not being loud am I?” she cries at top volume. As her voice reaches a particularly shrill pitch, the women turn around and stare at us.

Kendra looks at the ground in embarrassment. “Uh...yea, you are,” she mutters. Fortunately, the women get off at the next stop, possibly because of us. Despite our earlier embarrassment, Kendra and I find this idea hilarious and can't help needling Julia about it

We arrive at the mall without further incident but, when we try to exit the bus, the bus driver demands I pay a full dollar, instead of the fifty cents we're accustomed to (Kendra and Julia both have monthly passes so it's not a problem for them). She doesn't just ask me for the money. “Hay,” she snaps, making a face at me. “I need to see fifty cents more from you,” like I'm trying to sneak off without paying or something.

“Sorry, does this help?” I ask contritely, pulling out my student ID. We're supposed to get some kind of discount for it.

“No,” she barks. “Just pay up.” I'm so embarrassed I want to die. She's treating me like I'm stupid and dishonest, two of the very biggest insults to me. But, if I protest, she could try to have me arrested or something. I'm so upset that I feel a burning behind my eyes. I bite my lip and steel myself to keep from crying in front of my friends.

But I don't have to suffer for very long. Julia disdainfully snaps open her change purse and pulls out fifty cents for me which she drops in to the fare box. “God, you're a stupid bitch,”she yells over her shoulder as we exit. “You ought to be ashamed of ripping us off like that.” I feel warm and tingly all over. Julia may be annoying but she sure has balls. It's not often that my friends stand up for me so I feel extra privileged now.

“That was really nice of you,” I say hesitantly as we move inside.

“No problem,” Julia all but yells back. “You guys are like sisters to me.” And throwing wide her arms, she hugs one of us to each side of her. “So,” Julia continues as we make our way towards the food court and buy slushies to drink, “how have you guys been?” She's been out of town on a family vacation for the past week or so, not that anything really happened while she was gone.

“Nothing much, just lots of D and D here.”

“Having any luck with Robert?” She must be in an exceptionally good mood to actually let me talk about this.

“Not so much. It's okay though. I've never had a guy I like at my house before. It's great so I'm not in a hurry.” Neither Kendra or Julia has had someone they like at their house. Period. Ever. End of story. So, they don't really have anything to say about this.

“How about you, Kendra?”

“Still looking.”

“So you're still on your not liking Sven kick?”

I roll my eyes. “Is she ever. Every time I call her, she tells me how much she doesn't like him. It seems almost like she talks about him even more now.”

“That's not true,” Kendra objects.

“Of course not,” Julia agrees. “It would be completely impossible for you to talk about him more.” We both snicker. “We should go check out the clothes at Wet Seal. I heard they have some good sales.”

“Can't.” I hold up my half finished slushy. “We're not allowed to take this in.”

“Oh, just hide it behind your back.”

“At least we can start walking in that direction,” Kendra offers, not wanting us to argue about it. We make our way to the other end of the mall as I race to finish my drink by the time we get there, giving myself a side cramp and an ice-cream headache in the process.

“So, seriously, you're not going to be worried about Sven going over to Penelope's house anymore?” asks Julia as we walk. That would be a relief.

Kendra looks over at her sharply and doesn't answer right away. “I wouldn't mind if he went over to her house and slept with her,” she says at last, tossing her head carelessly.

I feel queasy. “Maybe not, but I would mind,” I snap. “Very, very much.”

“It might be a good way to make Robert jealous,” Julia teases.

“I don't think I want him quite that badly,” I say, holding my stomach. I decide against finishing what's left of my slushy and toss it in the nearest garbage can.

“Penelope, you're blushing,” Julia says as I rejoin them. I put my hand to my cheek and, to my horror, it is indeed burning hot.

“Why are you blushing?” Kendra giggles. “Does the thought of being with him really effect you that much?”

I round on her and they can both see in my face that it's my pissed off insane side they have to deal with now. “Yes, it does,” I snarl. “The very idea makes me want to die of shame. I will never degrade myself by having feelings for someone so utterly lacking in intelligence. Never, do you understand?” Julia silently shapes Robert's name with her mouth, but I refuse to be distracted by the bait. “I am offended that my friends think so little of me.”

“We were just joking around,” Julia mutters defensively and Kendra nods hurriedly in agreement but says nothing and there's a stiff, frozen look about her face.

“Well, let's say I don't think it's funny at all. As for you,” I glare at Kendra. “You better hope your change of heart is for real this time because, if you ever do start liking him again, I will have no mercy for you.”

Several minutes of uncomfortable silence follow and then Kendra and Julia begin to talk to each other about something completely different, essentially trying to pretend that none of this ever happened. I find this offensive and cowardly of them but know that, if they've both decided to avoid the topic, it's a waste of my effort to try to force it. So, I spend the rest of our outing sulking resentfully. Since I'm not talking to them, my mind is left free for unpleasant thoughts. The very idea of me liking Sven is so horrifying that it makes me break out in a sweat. Many times, while I watch Kendra and Julia try on shoes, I put my hand on my sternum and can feel my heart race...with anger, with embarrassment, something like that. Whatever it is, I know it's something bad.

------end of Chapter III part 2 of 3 ----------

Copyright: Amanda Hamlin

Not to be used by A.I. without permission of the author.

Cover art by Eric Hamlin

To view his portfolio, go to: https://www.instagram.com/hamlin.eric/

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